IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finana/v102y2025ics1057521925001929.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regulatory influence on corporate cash holdings: Minority shareholder activism by regulators

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Rongrong
  • Chen, Xiaomeng Charlene

Abstract

Focusing on an exogenous shock to minority investor activism, we investigate the effect of the China Securities Investor Services Center (CSISC), a minority shareholder protection mechanism introduced by the China Securities Regulatory Commission, on corporate cash holdings. Using a firm-quarter sample of Chinese listed companies from 2015 to 2017, we find that firms increased their cash holdings after CSISC became a minority shareholder. Channel tests and estimates of the cash flow sensitivity of cash reveal that this increase is primarily driven by precautionary motives, as firms prepare for potential financial uncertainties under CSISC's oversight. We further explore the role of governance-related factors—internal control quality, institutional ownership, and analyst coverage—and find that while CSISC's involvement strengthens governance by mitigating agency motives, it maintains a strong precautionary basis for increased cash holdings in response to heightened regulatory monitoring. This research highlights CSISC's critical role in influencing corporate liquidity management and enhancing investor protection in emerging markets.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Rongrong & Chen, Xiaomeng Charlene, 2025. "Regulatory influence on corporate cash holdings: Minority shareholder activism by regulators," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:102:y:2025:i:c:s1057521925001929
    DOI: 10.1016/j.irfa.2025.104105
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1057521925001929
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.irfa.2025.104105?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Deshmukh, Sanjay & Goel, Anand M. & Howe, Keith M., 2021. "Do CEO beliefs affect corporate cash holdings?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    2. Gao, Huasheng & Harford, Jarrad & Li, Kai, 2013. "Determinants of corporate cash policy: Insights from private firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 623-639.
    3. Dittmar, Amy & Mahrt-Smith, Jan & Servaes, Henri, 2003. "International Corporate Governance and Corporate Cash Holdings," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 38(1), pages 111-133, March.
    4. Fan, Joseph P.H. & Wong, T.J. & Zhang, Tianyu, 2007. "Politically connected CEOs, corporate governance, and Post-IPO performance of China's newly partially privatized firms," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(2), pages 330-357, May.
    5. Thomas W. Bates & Kathleen M. Kahle & René M. Stulz, 2009. "Why Do U.S. Firms Hold So Much More Cash than They Used To?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 64(5), pages 1985-2021, October.
    6. Lou, Xu & Qian, Aimin & Zhang, Chenyu, 2021. "Do CEO's political promotion incentives influence the value of cash holdings: Evidence from state-owned enterprises in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    7. Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert W, 1997. "A Survey of Corporate Governance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 52(2), pages 737-783, June.
    8. Ozkan, Aydin & Ozkan, Neslihan, 2004. "Corporate cash holdings: An empirical investigation of UK companies," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 28(9), pages 2103-2134, September.
    9. Ge, Wenxia & Ouyang, Caiyue & Shi, Zhenyang & Chen, Zhanliao, 2022. "Can a not-for-profit minority institutional shareholder make a big difference in corporate governance? A quasi-natural experiment," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Liang, Xiao & Chen, Xiaomeng Charlene, 2024. "Mandatory corporate social responsibility disclosure and financial constraints: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(PA), pages 954-974.
    11. Kenny Z. Lin & Lillian F. Mills & Fang Zhang & Yongbo Li, 2018. "Do Political Connections Weaken Tax Enforcement Effectiveness?," Contemporary Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 35(4), pages 1941-1972, December.
    12. Boris Nikolov & Toni M. Whited, 2014. "Agency Conflicts and Cash: Estimates from a Dynamic Model," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(5), pages 1883-1921, October.
    13. Berkman, Henk & Cole, Rebel A. & Fu, Lawrence J., 2010. "Political Connections and Minority-Shareholder Protection: Evidence from Securities-Market Regulation in China," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(6), pages 1391-1417, December.
    14. Jensen, Michael C, 1986. "Agency Costs of Free Cash Flow, Corporate Finance, and Takeovers," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 76(2), pages 323-329, May.
    15. Jarrad Harford & Sandy Klasa & William F. Maxwell, 2014. "Refinancing Risk and Cash Holdings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(3), pages 975-1012, June.
    16. Phan, Hieu V. & Nguyen, Nam H. & Nguyen, Hien T. & Hegde, Shantaram, 2019. "Policy uncertainty and firm cash holdings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 71-82.
    17. Chen, Deqiu & Li, Sifei & Xiao, Jason Zezhong & Zou, Hong, 2014. "The effect of government quality on corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 27(C), pages 384-400.
    18. Habib, Ahsan & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur, 2017. "Social capital and corporate cash holdings," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1-20.
    19. Kebin Deng & Haijian Zeng & Yushu Zhu, 2019. "Political connection, market frictions and financial constraints: evidence from China," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 59(4), pages 2377-2414, December.
    20. Opler, Tim & Pinkowitz, Lee & Stulz, Rene & Williamson, Rohan, 1999. "The determinants and implications of corporate cash holdings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(1), pages 3-46, April.
    21. Alexander Dyck & Adair Morse & Luigi Zingales, 2010. "Who Blows the Whistle on Corporate Fraud?," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(6), pages 2213-2253, December.
    22. Zhao, Ziying & Lu, Chao & Xia, Xiaoxue, 2024. "Regulator as a minority shareholder and corporate fraud: Quasi-natural experiment evidence from the pilot project of China Securities Investor Services Center," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(5).
    23. Subramaniam, Venkat & Tang, Tony T. & Yue, Heng & Zhou, Xin, 2011. "Firm structure and corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 759-773, June.
    24. Stijn Claessens & Simeon Djankov & Joseph P. H. Fan & Larry H. P. Lang, 2002. "Disentangling the Incentive and Entrenchment Effects of Large Shareholdings," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 57(6), pages 2741-2771, December.
    25. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    26. Nan Li, 2021. "Do Majority‐of‐Minority Shareholder Voting Rights Reduce Expropriation? Evidence from Related Party Transactions," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 59(4), pages 1385-1423, September.
    27. Baum, Christopher F. & Caglayan, Mustafa & Stephan, Andreas & Talavera, Oleksandr, 2008. "Uncertainty determinants of corporate liquidity," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 833-849, September.
    28. Chen, Hsuan-Chi & Chou, Robin K. & Lu, Chien-Lin, 2021. "Misvaluation and the corporate propensity to hold cash," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    29. Ding, Jinxiu & Li, Lingxue & Zhao, Jinsong, 2024. "How does fintech prompt corporations toward ESG sustainable development? Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    30. Wilson, Mark & Wang, Kun Tracy & Wu, Yue & Lau, Archie, 2022. "Institutional investors and earnings management associated with controlling shareholders' promises: Evidence from the split share structure reform in China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(3).
    31. Xin Wang & Jiacai Xiong & Caiyue Ouyang & Feida Zhang, 2023. "I Feel Your Pain: The Effect of Regulator as a Minority Shareholder on Merger and Acquisition Performance," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 59(1), pages 437-465, March.
    32. Kee H. Chung & Jang-Chul Kim & Young Sang Kim & Hao Zhang, 2015. "Information Asymmetry and Corporate Cash Holdings," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 42(9-10), pages 1341-1377, November.
    33. Nguyen, Hien T. & Phan, Hieu V. & Sun, Lingna (Selina), 2018. "Shareholder litigation rights and corporate cash holdings: Evidence from universal demand laws," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 192-213.
    34. Hou, Canran & Liu, Huan, 2020. "Foreign residency rights and corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    35. Cao, Qingzi & Fang, Ming & Pan, Yuying, 2022. "Minority shareholders protection and corporate financial leverage: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    36. La Porta, Rafael & Lopez-de-Silanes, Florencio & Shleifer, Andrei & Vishny, Robert, 2000. "Investor protection and corporate governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 58(1-2), pages 3-27.
    37. Shi, Yang & Li, Jiachen & Liu, Ruiming, 2023. "Financing constraints and share pledges: Evidence from the share pledge reform in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    38. Arena, Matteo & Julio, Brandon, 2015. "The Effects of Securities Class Action Litigation on Corporate Liquidity and Investment Policy," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 50(1-2), pages 251-275, April.
    39. Jensen, Michael C. & Meckling, William H., 1976. "Theory of the firm: Managerial behavior, agency costs and ownership structure," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 3(4), pages 305-360, October.
    40. Jarrad Harford & Sattar A. Mansi & William F. Maxwell, 2012. "Corporate Governance and Firm Cash Holdings in the U.S," Springer Books, in: Sabri Boubaker & Bang Dang Nguyen & Duc Khuong Nguyen (ed.), Corporate Governance, edition 127, pages 107-138, Springer.
    41. repec:bla:jfinan:v:59:y:2004:i:4:p:1777-1804 is not listed on IDEAS
    42. Meghana Ayyagari & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Vojislav Maksimovic, 2010. "Formal versus Informal Finance: Evidence from China," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(8), pages 3048-3097, August.
    43. Florackis, Chris & Sainani, Sushil, 2018. "How do chief financial officers influence corporate cash policies?," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 168-191.
    44. Hongbin Cai & Hanming Fang & Lixin Colin Xu, 2011. "Eat, Drink, Firms, Government: An Investigation of Corruption from the Entertainment and Travel Costs of Chinese Firms," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 54(1), pages 55-78.
    45. Hu, Yi & Jin, Shuchang & Gu, Qiankun & Tang, Ziling, 2022. "Can a not-for-profit minority institutional shareholder impede stock price crash risk: Evidence from China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    46. McLean, R. David & Zhao, Mengxin, 2018. "Cash savings and capital markets," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 49-64.
    47. Demir, Ender & Ersan, Oguz, 2017. "Economic policy uncertainty and cash holdings: Evidence from BRIC countries," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 189-200.
    48. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    49. Boubakri, Narjess & Guedhami, Omrane & Mishra, Dev & Saffar, Walid, 2012. "Political connections and the cost of equity capital," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 541-559.
    50. Fang Fang & Wang Tian & Zhang Yanfei, 2023. "Test on the law protection of minority investors in China: Perspective of misrepresentation in securities market," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(3), pages 1642-1655, April.
    51. David McLean, R., 2011. "Share issuance and cash savings," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 99(3), pages 693-715, March.
    52. Wei, K.C. John & Zhang, Yi, 2008. "Ownership structure, cash flow, and capital investment: Evidence from East Asian economies before the financial crisis," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(2), pages 118-132, April.
    53. Ge, Chuanlu & Cheng, Hengsen & Niu, Qingrun & Yang, Miao, 2024. "The conjoint effects of corporate social responsibility performance and report tone on financial constraints: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    54. Fritz Foley, C. & Hartzell, Jay C. & Titman, Sheridan & Twite, Garry, 2007. "Why do firms hold so much cash? A tax-based explanation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(3), pages 579-607, December.
    55. Dudley, Evan & Zhang, Ning, 2016. "Trust and corporate cash holdings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 363-387.
    56. Kuan, Tsung-Han & Li, Chu-Shiu & Chu, Shin-Herng, 2011. "Cash holdings and corporate governance in family-controlled firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(7), pages 757-764, July.
    57. Fuxiu Jiang & Kenneth A Kim, 2020. "Corporate Governance in China: A Survey [The role of boards of directors in corporate governance: a conceptual framework and survey]," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 24(4), pages 733-772.
    58. Amess, Kevin & Banerji, Sanjay & Lampousis, Athanasios, 2015. "Corporate cash holdings: Causes and consequences," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 421-433.
    59. Byrd, John W. & Hickman, Kent A., 1992. "Do outside directors monitor managers? *1: Evidence from tender offer bids," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 32(2), pages 195-221, October.
    60. Bhagat, Sanjai & Bolton, Brian, 2019. "Corporate governance and firm performance: The sequel," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 142-168.
    61. Miguel A. Ferreira & Antonio S. Vilela, 2004. "Why Do Firms Hold Cash? Evidence from EMU Countries," European Financial Management, European Financial Management Association, vol. 10(2), pages 295-319, June.
    62. Kim, Chang-Soo & Mauer, David C. & Sherman, Ann E., 1998. "The Determinants of Corporate Liquidity: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 33(3), pages 335-359, September.
    63. Chen, Shen & Chen, Yuran & Zhang, Di & Wang, Jinmei, 2023. "Can minority investor activism promote corporate risk-taking? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    64. Yu, Fang (Frank), 2008. "Analyst coverage and earnings management," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(2), pages 245-271, May.
    65. Xu, Zhaoxia, 2020. "Economic policy uncertainty, cost of capital, and corporate innovation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    66. Steven N. Kaplan & Luigi Zingales, 1997. "Do Investment-Cash Flow Sensitivities Provide Useful Measures of Financing Constraints?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(1), pages 169-215.
    67. Tan, Youchao & Zhu, Zhenmei & Zeng, Cheng & Gao, Minghua, 2014. "Does external finance pressure affect corporate disclosure of Chinese non-state-owned enterprises?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 212-222.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Amess, Kevin & Banerji, Sanjay & Lampousis, Athanasios, 2015. "Corporate cash holdings: Causes and consequences," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 421-433.
    2. Tahir Akhtar & Ameen Qasem & Shoaib Khan, 2025. "Internal corporate governance and cash holdings: the role of external governance mechanism," International Journal of Disclosure and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 22(1), pages 1-27, March.
    3. Abu Amin & Ashrafee T. Hossain & Abdullah‐Al Masum, 2024. "Carbon emissions and abnormal cash holdings," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 64(4), pages 3175-3209, December.
    4. Christos Floros & Emilios Galariotis & Konstantinos Gkillas & Efstathios Magerakis & Constantin Zopounidis, 2024. "Time-varying firm cash holding and economic policy uncertainty nexus: a quantile regression approach," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 341(2), pages 859-895, October.
    5. Sun, Wenyi & Yin, Chao & Zeng, Yeqin, 2023. "Precautionary motive or private benefit motive for holding cash: Evidence from CEO ownership," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    6. Marwick, Alex & Hasan, Mostafa Monzur & Luo, Tianpei, 2020. "Organization capital and corporate cash holdings," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    7. Cui, Di & Ding, Mingfa & Han, Yikai & Suardi, Sandy, 2022. "Foreign shareholders, relative foreign policy uncertainty and corporate cash holdings," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    8. Tan, Jianhua & Chen, Tao & Zhang, Peng & Chan, Kam C., 2021. "Environmental rule enforcement and cash holdings: Evidence from a natural experiment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    9. Jan Felix Weidemann, 2018. "A state-of-the-art review of corporate cash holding research," Journal of Business Economics, Springer, vol. 88(6), pages 765-797, August.
    10. Bijoy Chandra Das & Fakhrul Hasan & Soma Rani Sutradhar, 2024. "The impact of economic policy uncertainty and inflation risk on corporate cash holdings," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(3), pages 865-887, April.
    11. Wang, Xiaoyu & Long, Zhineng & Zhao, Xiangfang, 2024. "Merchant guild culture and cash holdings: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    12. Li, Xiafei & Luo, Di, 2020. "Increase in cash holdings of U.S. firms: The role of healthcare and technology industries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 286-298.
    13. Zhang, Xiang & Zhang, Zongyi & Zhou, Han, 2020. "Oil price uncertainty and cash holdings: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    14. Xueyan Dong & Kam C. Chan & Yujia Cui & Jenny Xinjiao Guan, 2021. "Strategic deviance and cash holdings," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 742-782, March.
    15. Hsuan-Chu Lin & She-Chih Chiu, 2017. "Tradeoff on corporate cash holdings: a theoretical and empirical analysis," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 49(3), pages 727-763, October.
    16. Alomran, Abdulaziz Ahmed & Alsubaiei, Bader Jawid, 2022. "Oil price uncertainty and corporate cash holdings: Global evidence," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    17. Abdul Rashid & Maryam Ashfaq, 2017. "Financial Constraints And Corporate Cash Holdings: An Empirical Analysis Using Firm Level Data," Annals of Financial Economics (AFE), World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., vol. 12(02), pages 1-26, June.
    18. Paulo, Alves, 2018. "Abnormal retained earnings around the world," Journal of Multinational Financial Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 63-74.
    19. Bishal BC & Thuy Simpson, 2023. "How do firms learn? Evidence from corporate cash holdings during the COVID‐19 pandemic," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(1), pages 77-108, March.
    20. Huang, Winifred & Mazouz, Khelifa, 2018. "Excess cash, trading continuity, and liquidity risk," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 275-291.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • M40 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Accounting - - - General
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:finana:v:102:y:2025:i:c:s1057521925001929. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/620166 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.